1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to mobile communication and, more particularly, to a radio modem terminal for mobile communication.
2. Background of the Related Art
In general, a mobile communication terminal is a device allowing users to communicate with anyone, anywhere, at any time, and due to their convenience, use of mobile communication terminals is now wide spread and a number of diverse applications have been developed for their use.
One such application is data communication. That is, by connecting a data port of the mobile communication terminal to a modem port of a notebook computer, access to various data communication and Internet services are made available to the user. The notebook computer has a variety of peripheral devices, such as an expansion memory, a data communication modem, LAN, or the like, which are connected to the notebook computer through a PCMCIA (Personal Computer Memory Card International Association) card or a PC card.
The construction of the PCMCIA card or the PC card is based on standards established by a PCMCIA industrial group organized in 1989 to promote standards for memory and input/output integrated circuits. The 1993 PCMCIA 2.1 standards dictate a card size of 54 mm in width by 85.6 mm in length, and a 68 pin connector.
The PC card can be classified into three types, depending on its thickness: TYPE 1 is mainly used for external memory expansion, and has a thickness of 3.3 mm; TYPE 2 is commonly used as a modem, LAN, a SCSI, or a sound card, and has a thickness of 5.0 mm; TYPE 3 is commonly used as an ATA (Advanced Technology Attachment) hard disk drive, and has a thickness of 10.5 mm.
FIG. 1 illustrates how a notebook computer is connected to a communication network in accordance with the conventional art, which includes: a mobile communication terminal 10 with access to a mobile communication service while being transported; a notebook computer 20 implementing radio communication through the mobile communication terminal 10; and a connecting unit 30 connecting a data port installed in the mobile communication terminal 10 and the notebook computer 20 to enable data communication therebetween.
The mobile communication terminal 10 is capable of receiving multimedia service as well as voice communication service and character information while being transported. In general, the mobile communication terminal includes a data port for data communication, through which the mobile communication terminal 10 can function as a speaker phone, update an operating program, and transmit and/or receive data.
The notebook computer 20 is a portable personal computer, in which various kinds of modems can be built therein or attached thereto for data communication with an external device. The connecting unit 30 is a cable connecting the data port of the mobile communication terminal 10 and a modem of the notebook computer 20, through which the mobile communication terminal 10 and the notebook computer 20 can conduct data communication with another computer or data unit, or conduct an Internet search using a mobile communication network.
The conventional notebook computer, however, has a problem in that, since it is connected to the mobile communication terminal by a separate connecting unit, the connecting unit and the mobile phone must be separately fabricated, purchased, installed/uninstalled, and transported.
Korean Patent Laid-Open Publication No. 2001-0082432 (dated Aug. 30, 2001) seeks a solution to this problem by inserting a PC card having a radio frequency unit, a CDMA processor, a memory, and an interface unit into a mobile communication terminal or into a notebook computer. More specifically, the PC card is inserted into an outer case of the mobile communication terminal for use as a mobile phone, whereas insertion of the PC card into the notebook computer enables radio data communication. Then, if a user wants to access the Internet with the notebook computer, he/she may withdraw the PC card from the mobile communication terminal and insert it into the corresponding notebook computer. The notebook computer automatically senses insertion of the PC card, and the user can then access the Internet through the notebook computer.
However, because the PCMCIA TYPE 2 card is 54 mm wide by 85.6 mm long by 5 mm thick, based on the pertinent industrial standards, a problem arises in that it is difficult to mount the radio frequency unit, the CDMA processor, the memory, the interface unit, and other components on the face of the PC card. Additionally, the PC card does not function by itself, and needs a dedicated terminal case for its use, causing inconvenience in that the dedicated terminal case must also be transported.
The above references are incorporated by reference herein where appropriate for appropriate teachings of additional or alternative details, features and/or technical background.